32Km

Last of the big distances before the marathon...only 20 days to go...and because we wanted to see what we were in for, we decided to run a portion of the course today. There was myself, K. (my pace bunny) and L., who couldn't run yesterday with her group, and didn't want to run alone today. The more, the merrier.
Got up bright and early and had a breakfast of Dempster's bagel (only 2 pts), PB & banana. Then I had a small bowl of oatmeal w/yogurt with pineapple and almond flakes. Topped it all off with a glass of chocolate moo. Made up my usual running mix of OJ, water & sea salt, packed up and headed off. Met up with the ladies at Eau Claire running room. Went outside to drizzle/rain/wanted to be snow...dang it. Forecast was for +10C, but it started out at 0 (32F). Looks like we were in for another wet, cool run.
We crossed the island/river and ran west to the base of Shaganappi Hill - this has been worrying most of us, as it looks very intimidating, and then turned north and started up. Now on race day, we will be running on the road - today, we were running on the grassy shoulder, which was not fun. But as far as hills go, it wasn't too bad...long, but not too steep. Once at the top, we turned to the east and ran (more shoulders...apparently no one here pays taxes, and therefore can't have sidewalks) to the University of Calgary, and looped around it (roughly 5km in total). Facing west once again, we ran back towards Market Mall, and looped in behind it, heading roughly northwest now. We looped through the neighbourhoods of Varsity Estates and Varsity, which being on the northwest side of the city, are very hilly. Undulating is how I believe they would be described. We also ran on the road, because these neighbourhoods were one of the first where the garage went on the front of EVERY.FREAKING.HOME and are therefore killers on the knees, with a driveway every 6 feet!!! Finally we were heading back to Shaganappi and down the hill (very carefully, as the shoulders were uneven and rocky - don't want to turn an ankle 20 days before the run!) and back to Eau Claire. It was a good run (the drizzle stopped and the sun even tried to come out), as we maintained a very respectable LSD pace of 8:29/km, including all those hills. Bring on the 'thon!
After a lunch/brunch of egg wrap, fruit salad and more chocolate moo, I came home, jumped in the shower (I was STINKY!) and after picking up Chinese, went and got Mom and off to the hospital we went. My little car just knows where to go...don't even steer her anymore! Dad was very happy to dump his icky hospital dinner for shrimp chow mien, fried rice, chicken & vegetables and spicy Palace shrimp. Mom also enjoyed her Mother's Day gift, and all the leftovers she can munch on for the next few days. She even got a card and chocolates from the furbabies and furgrandbabies, as a group at work were selling little boxes for fundraising, and they were just perfect.
Realized much later that I totally missed having a cup of coffee today, and my head is telling me it is not amused right now! Way too late to have a cup now, so I tried to placate with a cup of instant General Mills (French Vanilla) and some Advil...hopefully I can get to sleep soon.
Back to the grind tomorrow, but at least this is the week where Boot Camp goes three times a week. I need to shake things up again, and am tired of hovering around the weight I'm at again. It's time to kick boo-tay!!
Hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day, whether you have human, fur or even imaginary children!
Later,